Who will Rescue our Currency, Naira? By Hadiza Ishyaku Abdulsalam

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) recently unveiled a nationwide campaign tagged, “Naira Our Pride: Handle with Care”. At first glance, it may seem like another routine awareness drive. But behind it lies a critical issue that touches on patriotism, economics, and national identity—how Nigerians treat their own currency.

Respect for the naira is not just about neat wallets or clean notes. It is about the value we place on a symbol that represents our sovereignty. Yet the evidence around us shows this respect is in short supply. Currency spraying at weddings and parties is celebrated as a show of wealth. Market traders still pass mutilated notes freely.

Street hawkers openly sell bundles of new notes at inflated prices, a practice that worsened the cash crisis during the botched redesign exercise. These are not isolated incidents; they are cultural habits that cost the country dearly. The CBN has reason to act. In 2023 alone, the apex bank spent nearly ₦96 billion printing new notes, much of it to replace damaged ones.

That is money that could have been invested in healthcare, schools, or infrastructure. The message from the CBN’s Deputy Governor of Operations, Folashodun Shonubi, represented at the Abuja flag-off by Dr. Sikiru Adedeji Adetona, was simple: careless handling of the naira is not just an inconvenience, it is an economic burden. Yet enforcement remains a sensitive matter.

When the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) once urged citizens to report naira abusers, even their own parents, the suggestion was met with ridicule and cynicism online. Similarly, the sentencing of celebrity Bobrisky in 2024 for defacing the naira became more of a social media spectacle than a wake-up call. These reactions reveal a deeper challenge: Nigerians often view enforcement of naira protection laws as selective, inconsistent, or even unnecessary.

This mistrust is not without context. Citizens struggle daily with inflation, policy reversals, and a weakening currency. In such circumstances, many ask: why should they handle notes carefully when their purchasing power erodes by the day, or when clean notes are hoarded by the privileged few?

Even so, the argument cannot be ignored. Patriotism is not defined only by reciting the anthem or waving the national flag. It is also reflected in the small acts of discipline and respect we show toward shared symbols. The naira, like the green-white-green, is one of those symbols. Each time a note is torn, defaced, or sprayed in reckless display, something greater than paper is diminished—our national dignity.

This is why the CBN’s campaign must not stop at slogans or roadshows. Real change requires cultural negotiation and collective participation. Civic education in schools should highlight the value of currency stewardship. Market associations, transport unions, and religious leaders should use their influence to reshape attitudes.

Banks and fintech platforms should improve both access to clean notes and alternatives through cashless systems. Above all, enforcement must be transparent and impartial, so that citizens see fairness rather than favoritism. In the end, the naira is more than currency; it is a mirror of who we are. If we cannot respect our own money, it raises uncomfortable questions about the depth of our love for Nigeria itself.

Patriotism is often tested in small, unglamorous choices. Choosing to handle the naira with care may seem minor, but collectively, it is a statement of pride, responsibility, and national identity. The challenge before us is clear: to stop treating the naira as disposable paper and start recognizing it as a reflection of our dignity.

Because if we fail here, the cost will not only be counted in billions of naira lost to printing but also in the gradual erosion of the pride that binds us as a people.

*Hadiza Ishyaku Abdulsalam is a PRNigeria Fellow.*